In the middle of completely refurbishing his five-bedroom house, Connan Gupta felt he deserved a week off.

It is a decision he is now regretting because 15 squatters took advantage of his short absence to occupy the £700,000 property.

The jobless Italians changed the locks and have taken up residence along with their three dogs and two cats.

They claim the fact they cannot afford to rent gives them the right to take over the Victorian property in Camberwell, South-East London.

Police are powerless to intervene because squatting is a civil rather than criminal offence.

Apparently trespassing and burglary are no longer considered offenses at all in the decomposing remnants of Once-Great Britain.

Gasps Gupta:

“It’s as if the squatters have more rights than I do.”

But of course they do. Property — the concept that makes civilization possible — is theft, according to progressives.

They have turned the front room into a sixth bedroom and are using Mr Gupta’s wardrobes to store their clothes. They are also making use of his three leather sofas, sauna, hundreds of DVDs and television.

Under pure anarchy, Gupta could at least attempt to liberate his home by force. But liberalism is a hybrid of the worst aspects of anarchy and communism. The only good thing to be said about it is that nothing so obviously insane can last very long.